Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Phasor’s ESA technology will enter ground testing later this year, with hopes of getting airborne by Q1 2024. This time, however, it will be under the Hanwha brand name, as the company pushes forward with its commercial aero goals.
Low Earth Orbit
ThinKom sees ESA integration as a Plus for connectivity hardware
Looking to combine the best-in-class antenna performance with an electronically steered solution for multi-constellation support? ThinKom may soon have a new “Plus” option available.
Removing inflight connectivity friction, and maybe creating another problem along the way
Step on board a plane flying with the SpaceX Starlink satellite network and you’re online immdiately. There’s no capture portal, no extra clicks. And that approach may also limit Starlink’s reach into the market, in a somewhat unexpected way.
Starlink shines on JSX
Of course it works; this was a media demo flight, after all. But the fact that the Starlink internet service works so well on the JSX fleet was never a sure thing; the program had a few hiccups along the way. But the overall performance was impressive, and in a couple ways that were true differentiators from competing solutions.
Intelsat adds more LEO/GEO capacity with Eutelsat/OneWeb deal
Intelsat will expand its partnership with Eutelsat and OneWeb, securing additional capacity for its mobile connectivity solutions over Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific.
Viasat, Inmarsat receive provisional merger approval from UK
Should the Viasat/Inmarsat merger eventually close, the company may need to send a thank you present to the Starlink team at SpaceX. After four months of additional review, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued a provisional approval to the combination, and the upstart LEO operator is cited as a major factor in the determination.
Intelsat successfully tests Stellar Blu ESA in LEO/GEO service
Looking for the future of regional jet inflight connectivity? The seas off Puerto Rico this past month were a good place to start. That’s where Intelsat just spent four weeks testing the Stellar Blu ESA connected to LEO and GEO satellites.
Market optimism, antenna debates as the first regional jets get a Wi-Fi upgrade
Major optimism from suppliers as the first regional jet WiFi upgrades are set for installation. But there’s still lots of debate as to which solution is technically best for the regional jet market and beyond.
Alaska Airlines picks Intelsat for E175 streaming WiFi upgrade
Alaska Airlines will offer “streaming fast” Wi-Fi on its E175 fleet, beginning in 2024. The carrier plans to upgrade those aircraft, extending its longstanding partnership with Intelsat.
Does ATG have a future in commercial aviation?
Cellular-based air-to-ground technologies brought inflight internet to thousands of aircraft and millions of passengers, first in North America, then in Europe and beyond. And while the technology continues to grow in some markets, some suppliers are more skeptical of its continued value, at least for commercial airlines.